Ottawa 67's 2022-23 Off-Season Thread (Part 4)

[Newbie Observer]

It wasnt your goalie that was the issue. He kept you guys in it, game 5 in Ottawa. Petes had 3 2-1 that could have made it 5 or 6-1, Tonight early he stopped several 2-1 when it could have got really out of hand. The goals were all from slot or in crease, where was the def? Dont blame this series loss on him.

At end of 1st you were in control by hard dumping the puck and out racing peterborough for position. You had them on their backs, then you stopped? Why? Even in third, didnt do that to start?

 

[mianjo]

67`s lose 5-4

GOAL
3RD 12:59
#2 Derek Smyth (1) scores. Assists: #11 Henry Mews, #19 Jack Beck

GOAL
3RD 16:09
#24 Vinzenz Rohrer (2) scores. Assists: #4 Pavel Mintyukov, #20 Luca Pinelli

GOAL
3RD 17:54
#20 Luca Pinelli (7) scores. Assists: #16 Logan Morrison, #4 Pavel Mintyukov

 

[NordiquesForeva]

67`s lose 5-4

GOAL
3RD 12:59
#2 Derek Smyth (1) scores. Assists: #11 Henry Mews, #19 Jack Beck

GOAL
3RD 16:09
#24 Vinzenz Rohrer (2) scores. Assists: #4 Pavel Mintyukov, #20 Luca Pinelli

GOAL
3RD 17:54
#20 Luca Pinelli (7) scores. Assists: #16 Logan Morrison, #4 Pavel Mintyukov

Yeah we know man.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

It wasnt your goalie that was the issue. He kept you guys in it, game 5 in Ottawa. Petes had 3 2-1 that could have made it 5 or 6-1, Tonight early he stopped several 2-1 when it could have got really out of hand. The goals were all from slot or in crease, where was the def? Dont blame this series loss on him.

At end of 1st you were in control by hard dumping the puck and out racing peterborough for position. You had them on their backs, then you stopped? Why? Even in third, didnt do that to start?

It’s a good question, which none of us here will have the exact answer to. Overall, the level of drive and effort has been inconsistent, sometimes even period by period, all playoffs. Even against Oshawa, aside from the two blowouts the games were much tighter than they should have been based on regular season performance and Oshawa’s depleted D group. My view is that Ottawa didn’t have the size/strength or physical maturity to sustain the forecheck and win the puck battles needed to control play for any significant period of time against an older/stronger team like the Petes. That issue was destined to hurt them at some point, whether it be against Peterborough, NB or Barrie.

 

[analyser]

Not to put the blame on anyone but Stonehouse did not produce and was very transparent. He should of concentrated more on hockey and less lip flapping.

 

[snipes29]

Sorry Ottawa but Petes played better and Simpson was outstanding but no worries your team will be strong again next year! You will be best team in East again

 

[Race Dawg]

Well, we will have to agree to disagree. Winning the regular season championship means consistent, strong play over 6 months. The Memorial Cup is a TV tournament and getting there involves luck and persistent good play over six weeks. A bit of a crap shoot really and it seems to favour the host team a lot of the time. They make a good story usually and TV guys love a good story.

I put a lot of store in that regular season performance. If I have to sit through 40 games, they should be good games.

I am disappointed tonight, but tomorrow, I'll be fine.

I will respectively disagree sir on the Memorial Cup as you gotta win your way there unless you are hosting. I do think the Stanley Cup is a lot harder to win mind you but again if the Boston Bruins were to exit first round then I have a feeling their fans would consider the year a failure as far as i am concerned,

20-years ago I would have been very upset with this loss, tonight I'm meh as my priorities are elsewhere (also I haven't lived in Ottawa for many years now) but I do find my hometown somewhat luring as it draws me back to the 67's come playoff time. But I am more of a Sens fan first when it comes to hockey...

 

[Race Dawg]

It wasnt your goalie that was the issue. He kept you guys in it, game 5 in Ottawa. Petes had 3 2-1 that could have made it 5 or 6-1, Tonight early he stopped several 2-1 when it could have got really out of hand. The goals were all from slot or in crease, where was the def? Dont blame this series loss on him.

At end of 1st you were in control by hard dumping the puck and out racing peterborough for position. You had them on their backs, then you stopped? Why? Even in third, didnt do that to start?

Coaching. I will get slammed for saying this but Ottawa was OUTCOACHED. The Petes deserved the series. Good luck next round...

 

[dirty12]

It wasnt your goalie that was the issue. He kept you guys in it, game 5 in Ottawa. Petes had 3 2-1 that could have made it 5 or 6-1, Tonight early he stopped several 2-1 when it could have got really out of hand. The goals were all from slot or in crease, where was the def? Dont blame this series loss on him.

At end of 1st you were in control by hard dumping the puck and out racing peterborough for position. You had them on their backs, then you stopped? Why? Even in third, didnt do that to start?

The ‘67s did mange to negate icing for a couple of shifts, but had no real scoring chances that I recall to show for it. The three consecutive icings that followed showed the Petes had adapted. I think the ‘67s abandoned the plan of doing it every time at the right time

 

[analyser]

Well all I want to say is that for a young team they performed well above expectations. The Petes finalĺy managed to perform as a cohesive unit and their experience/size were huge assets. Overall I think 19 to 17 were the goals scored in the series with four 1 goal games. No matter what anyone says a favourable bounce here or there and we could of easily been heading to game 7. Great effort and a huge amount of returning players for next season.

Have a good summer, hold your heads up high and look ahead to a very promising future.

 

[OMG67]

As predicted prior to the playoffs, the 67’s were far too young in a Conference that was pretty well experienced. I thought it would bite them in round 3 against North Bay but somehow Peterborough managed to rise from the dead and figure it out during the playoffs. No one could understand why the Petes were so inconsistent and average at best during the regular season but somehow they managed to live up to expectations when it coUnted. Full marks to the Petes for figuring it out, regrouping as a team and performing at a high level consistently.

In the end, the 67’s had a good season. I had high expectations for them coming into the season. I felt they were right with Peterborough, North bay, Barrie and Mississauga. Sure enough, they were. Were the 67’s a bonafide 107 point team? No. I think we can all agree they won a heck of a lot of games they should not have. They just managed to find ways to win and compile points. That created false expectations going into the playoffs. Boyd did a tremendous job up to the deadline. IMO, he dropped the ball at the very end but judging his performance overall, I’d say he did great. We’ve sort of beaten this dead horse enough but to put a stamp on it, this team really needed two bigger experienced bodies (preferably one a centre) that could have helped even the playing field. I think there was too much reliance on Boucher. With his injury status well known inside the organization, I think it was far too cavalier to expect him to make it through the playoffs. He would have been a huge difference maker on a team that lacked umph.

Dave Cameron is a great coach. Was he outcoached this series? No. I would have shifted gears a little earlier but sometimes you just gotta ride your team that got you there and that’s what he did mostly. The coaching staff and off ice team did a great job preparing and developing the players. They will have a competitive team returning next season. They do have some holes and not a lot in the way of draft picks to fill them via trade so we do expect it to be a status quo season with a couple targeted seller trades. But, it should still be fun to watch.

As usual, I will post my player grades today. They are always based on expectation, not overall performance.

 

[OMG67]

67s Report Card for the 2022-23 season. As usual, these are based on my own personal expectations coming into the season. So, if a player simply lived up to expectations, they would get somewhere between a C+ and a B.

Goaltending:
Max Donoso (B+) - I had reasonable expectations for Max. I figured he’d be a solid starter and he was. It is harder for the goalies than the skaters with the lost Covid seasons But he managed to compile a decent season last year and followed it up with some pretty great numbers this year. I think he earned a heck of a lot of respect across the league as well. He’s not quite big enough to get pro considerations but he will return for an OA season. Will it be with Ottawa?
Colin MacKenzie (A+) - MacK did a great job in a backup role. I firmly believe the reason why Ottawa managed to compile so many points ont he season was because of MacK. Most backups simply fill in for a game here and there on 3 in 3 or 3 in 4 weekends and maybe give their team a chance to win. Not MacK. 21-2-1? 1.88 and .928? For a backup? He also played a lot of solid teams. He didn’t just get bottom-feeder teams. He will likely be the starter next season. Let’s see what he can do with a lessor team in front of him.

Defence:
Derek Smyth (C-) - Missed a lot of time due to sickness. I had higher expectations for Derek to nail down that #6 slot. He seemed to be there up to the time he left the team to heal. When he came back, he wasn’t ever able to regain his status. I don’t think that is a reflection on him as much as it was a reflection on the rest of the roster. However, these grades are based on expectation and Smyth didn’t meet expectations.
Patel Mintyukov (B-) - Came as advertised. Best D-Man in the OHL? I think so. Many will argue Clarke of course but I give the nod to Mintyukov because he was here the whole season. It is hard to judge a player based only on a half season. This kid is going to have a stellar NHL career. Size and skill from the back end? And can defend? He looks effortless out there. Just a crazy good player.
Bradley Horner (B+) - Tough to grade a kid signed mid-season and then only play a little bit. HOWEVER, was this kid on anyone’s radar? At all? Nope. Horner has some jam. May need to brush up on the discipline but he is an in your face kinda D-Man that plays from the right side. You can always use players like that.
Thomas Sirman (A) - Sirman is a versatile player that should hav played defence the entire season IMO. A defensively responsible and tough kid. Undersized but not in the heart category. 5 on 5, he is really good. Rarely on the ice for goals against. Not very offensive but still did manage to compile some decent point totals, especially considering he played as a 4th line winger the second half of the season. I’m not sure there is a role for him on this team next year. I think for his own good, he needs a chance to play on a team that values him more.
Frankie Marrelli (A+) - I questioned why we played this kid so much in the first half. I didn’t question it when the second half was over. He was solid in the playoffs, one of our most dependable players on the back end. So mature for a 16 year old. Probably our rookie of the year when all is said and done.
Henry Mews (B-) - Highly touted rookie lived up to expectations. He managed to get a solid season of development in and I expect his performance to only rise next season. He’s prone to turn over the puck a little too much in the D-Zone but that isn‘t abnormal for a 16 year old. Mews is likely going to develop into one of the most prolific D-Men in 67’s history. His ability in the O-Zone is crazy good. I think he will be the #1 PP QB next season and will likley manage close to a point per game. NHL 1st round pick? Looking like it.
Anthony Costantini (B+) - slightly above expectations. Dependable right side D-Man with some offensive upside. Decent size. I think playing with Mintyukov hurt Costantini this season. It is hard to say that but he couldn’t play to his strengths and was forced to play to his weaknesses. His gap control in the D-Zone has always been weak. That get highlighted when he is the first man back having to contain the front puck carrier all the time playing with Minty, I felt bad for him a lot of the time But the rest of the defence was young so he had to pull that duty. That was exposed even more in the playoffs. Overall, a solid OHL career For a 6th rounder.
Matthew Mayich (B+) - He’s just a really solid defensive D-Man. Plays hard nosed but smart. I’d like to see him work more on his skating. I think that is the area that keeps him from being an elite D-Man. His shot improved this year a bit though. He’s a late birthdate and eligible for the draft this year. He has enough size but not sure he shows enough overall to get the nod in the NHL draft. He probably deserves it though.
Gavin Ewles (B+) - I didn’t expect Ewles to actually make this team. I didn’t think Boyd was going to cut so deep int he pre-season trading away both Sawyer and Gill-Shane. But, he did and that opened the door for Ewles. He is sneaky tough. He plays a decent all around D-Man game. On a less deep team, he would have the tools to play as a 3rd pairing kid on most teams. Plays from the right side which is always valued. I think he is going to be a big part of next years team. If I had to guess, I’d say if Mews and MArrelli continue to play together, he’s going to play with Mayich. That will allow him s a little freedoM to play more offensively and I have a sneaky suspicion he is going to rise to the occasion and perform to a higher level than most think.
Jack Matier (A) - I really didn’t see the offence there in Matier’s game. Even after acquiring Mintyukov and relegating him to the 2nd PP unit, Matier still managed to piece together a really strong season. I question his overall defensive game in the playoffs but I think that had a lot to do with him feeling the need to step up in the toughness category with that lacking on the club. It dragged him out of his containment zone and forced him to play a little too much on the fringes of the safe areas where he excels in a shut down role. It will be sad to see him go. A real heart and soul type of player. I wish him the best in his NHL career. I think he is borderline but I am leaning on him to actually nail down a regular gig eventually. Probably needs two seasons in the AHL First.

Forwards:
Chris Barlas (C) - I don’t think anyone really had high expectations from Barlas. I was hopeful he’d figure it out and FINALLY Cameron shifted him to the wing. He managed to carve out a role on the 67’s Playing a more physical and defensive game. All great except he is a little smaller. He’s going to have to scale down the physical part a bit. Overall, I think Chris had a strong season related to expectations. His injury late int he season really pulled him from the equation so his rating slips a little because of it. Where does he fit in next season? I think as a defensively responsible 3rd line LW that also kills penalties. If he plays at a higher level than that successfully, his rating would likely go up quite a bit.
Cameron Tolnai (A) - It is always hard to make a judgement on Tolnai. Did he outscore his expectations? No. Does his stat line stand out at all? No. Where he stands out is his leadership on the ice, his ability to win faceoffs at a high level and his overall steady and consistent play. He performed at the level this team needed all season. I know they don’t give out letters anymore but I don’t think there is a doubt he was the captain. I think he lived up to expectations and exceeded them greatly from a leadership perspective.
Tyler Boucher (F) - Couldn’t stay healthy. Loads of potential but the 67’s really didn’t see any of it. Less than a point per game when he was in the lineup. Pretty much a wasted seasons and Boucher would agree.
Logan Morrison (B-) - Came as advertised. Awesome that he managed to get that first class NHL: deal signed and with an organization that may be able to elevate him quicker. Such a good overall player.
Brady Stonehouse (A) - I don’t think anyone saw 35+ goals in Stonehouse. I think everyone knows the type of player he is but he is sneaky fast and has a nose for the net. Disappointing playoff though. It will be interesting to watch him next season and see where he goes from here.
Jack Dever (B) - Another player I didn’t really expect to crack the roster but he did. He’s a little too small to be overly effective so he needs to make hay playing on the perimeter. I’m still not sure he is going to crack the roster again next year but he managed to this year so why not next?
Jack Beck (D) - Injuries again this year keep him from performing at the level he is capable. I had him pencilled in for 40 goals but he jsut can’t stay on The ice. When he was, he performed well but wasn’t scoring goals. I think this was a very disappointing season for Jack and it will likely cost him his NHL contract. I think he returns for an OA season. Very disappointing compared to where we thought he’d end up.
Luca Pinnelli (A) - I had high expectations for Pinelli this season. You could see it late last season where this kid could sneak his way into a point per game Even as a 17 year old. 18 points in 11 playoff games? Are you kidding me? He’s can be so explosive. With the right centre, I think Pinelli can rack up 90 points next season with around 40 goals.
Will Gerrior (A+) - Sirius’s most loved player. I have to admit that he grew on me. I looked at him as a solid 3rd line plugger. Even though he really is still only a 3rd line player on the depth chart, he elevated himself well past the role of plugger. He had a decent offensive season and a solid playoff. I think his future is far more bright than I expected.
Vincenz Rohrer (C) - I expected more from Rohrer this year. He works tirelessly for sure. But, I think he is miscast as a centre. I think he needs to have the reigns loosened by playing on the wing. I think Boyd did a massive disservice to Rohrer and his development not acquiring the centre so he could shift to the wing so he could go hunting. If he’d have played with Morrison, he’d have managed 30–40-70 this season but he finishes under a point per game which is rather disappointing.
Brad Gardiner (A) - You could see he had it in him last season. Flashes of skill with decent hands and he worked hard. I didn’t think he would find his place this early. I looked at him as the 4th line centre this season and maybe 25 points. I knew he‘d grow into a strong player but this fast? Crazy. He is going to be a really good OHL player. Think Cam Tolnai but more offence.
Caden Kelly (B-) - I think the future is really looking bright for Caden. He has a lot of moxie out there. You can see he has a gritty side and will play in your face type of minutes but he can dangle and skate as well. I’d really like to have seen him get more minutes this season but overall not a bad first year development.
Cooper foster (B) - Solid offensive output but trailed off in the second half when the focus shifted for the tema int he 2nd half. Strong defensive player that can score goals. His play is a little too inconsistent and I find him to be more opportunistic that he probably should be. I’d like to see him drive the play a little more. He does play a bit of an agitator role well. He needs to find some balance though. Maybe slightly too greasy as an agitator? I’d like to see some more physicality to back up that agitator role he likes to play. Sort of earn it more like Stonehouse does.

That covers it! Another season in the books. Time to focus on next year…..

 

[NordiquesForeva]

As predicted prior to the playoffs, the 67’s were far too young in a Conference that was pretty well experienced. I thought it would bite them in round 3 against North Bay but somehow Peterborough managed to rise from the dead and figure it out during the playoffs. No one could understand why the Petes were so inconsistent and average at best during the regular season but somehow they managed to live up to expectations when it coUnted. Full marks to the Petes for figuring it out, regrouping as a team and performing at a high level consistently.

In the end, the 67’s had a good season. I had high expectations for them coming into the season. I felt they were right with Peterborough, North bay, Barrie and Mississauga. Sure enough, they were. Were the 67’s a bonafide 107 point team? No. I think we can all agree they won a heck of a lot of games they should not have. They just managed to find ways to win and compile points. That created false expectations going into the playoffs. Boyd did a tremendous job up to the deadline. IMO, he dropped the ball at the very end but judging his performance overall, I’d say he did great. We’ve sort of beaten this dead horse enough but to put a stamp on it, this team really needed two bigger experienced bodies (preferably one a centre) that could have helped even the playing field. I think there was too much reliance on Boucher. With his injury status well known inside the organization, I think it was far too cavalier to expect him to make it through the playoffs. He would have been a huge difference maker on a team that lacked umph.

Dave Cameron is a great coach. Was he outcoached this series? No. I would have shifted gears a little earlier but sometimes you just gotta ride your team that got you there and that’s what he did mostly. The coaching staff and off ice team did a great job preparing and developing the players. They will have a competitive team returning next season. They do have some holes and not a lot in the way of draft picks to fill them via trade so we do expect it to be a status quo season with a couple targeted seller trades. But, it should still be fun to watch.

As usual, I will post my player grades today. They are always based on expectation, not overall performance.

Well said. Overall, I'm content with the 67s season. More than a little disappointed that we couldn't pull through this series vs. Peterborough, but I enjoyed going to the games with my family + friends this season and the 67s brand of hockey was exciting and the team was very competitive. I'll always have good memories of going to games this season with my young son and getting to know some of the players.

The 67s are a model organization for drafting and developing good young players and just as importantly, good young men.

I feel like this season wasn't a season that Boyd had planned on going "all-in" on, but the team's performance up to the trade deadline forced him to do something to demonstrate commitment to the fan base and veterans who missed out on a long playoff run due to covid. I think Boyd would have had a pretty quiet deadline if this team had performed more in-line with expectations (i.e., #2-5 seed). While Morrison and Mintyukov were excellent pickups for the vacant OA and Import spots, as you said Boyd's moves were ultimately insufficient given the deficiencies in the lineup due to Boucher's injury and our reliance on younger and less physically mature players.

The 67s should be a very competitive team next season. It will be interesting to see what moves are made, if any, in the off-season and during camp. It will also be interesting to see what happens with Jack Beck. I wouldn't be surprised if he's back in a 67s uniform next season. I hope the remainder of the graduating players have an opportunity to enjoy their summers and then continue their hockey careers somewhere.

 

[OMG67]

For those that are curious about our draft pick situation going forward, teams are eligible to trade picks through the 2027 season (4 years). For rounds 2 through 4, the 67s have:

2024 - 2nd, ER 3rd, KIT 3rd
2025 - no picks
2026 - no picks
2027 - 2nd, 3rd, 4th

As you can see, they are light on available picks. Adding to next seasons roster is not realistic Without mortgaging the future and trading away young bodies. Taht is assuming they don’t manage to sign some NCAA commit players. That would be a bit of a game changer but not very likely.

 

[OMG67]

Well said. Overall, I'm content with the 67s season. More than a little disappointed that we couldn't pull through this series vs. Peterborough, but I enjoyed going to the games with my family + friends this season and the 67s brand of hockey was exciting and the team was very competitive. I'll always have good memories of going to games this season with my young son and getting to know some of the players.

The 67s are a model organization for drafting and developing good young players and just as importantly, good young men.

I feel like this season wasn't a season that Boyd had planned on going "all-in" on, but the team's performance up to the trade deadline forced him to do something to demonstrate commitment to the fan base and veterans who missed out on a long playoff run due to covid. I think Boyd would have had a pretty quiet deadline if this team had performed more in-line with expectations (i.e., #2-5 seed). While Morrison and Mintyukov were excellent pickups for the vacant OA and Import spots, as you said Boyd's moves were ultimately insufficient given the deficiencies in the lineup due to Boucher's injury and our reliance on younger and less physically mature players.

The 67s should be a very competitive team next season. It will be interesting to see what moves are made, if any, in the off-season and during camp. It will also be interesting to see what happens with Jack Beck. I wouldn't be surprised if he's back in a 67s uniform next season. I hope the remainder of the graduating players have an opportunity to enjoy their summers and then continue their hockey careers somewhere.

I fully expect Beck to return as an OA. I didn’t think that very likely at the start of the season but I think it is almost a certainty now. It is not easy to nail down an NHL contract. People have to realize that the commitment for an NHL contract is close to $500k. I don’t think Beck has earned it and I doubt an NHL club will reward him. No disrespect meant to Beck. I think he is the type of player that could come out next year and earn it on his own as a free agent but he needs to gain a lot of weight in the offseason, at least 20 pounds. He needs to be more durable.

I think with the right moves next year filling in the OA slots with veterans on the cheap, this 67’s team can and will finish middle of the pack after trading a couple guys through the deadline. The back end and goaltending will be solid. I doubt we give up 200 goals next season.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

I fully expect Beck to return as an OA. I didn’t think that very likely at the start of the season but I think it is almost a certainty now. It is not easy to nail down an NHL contract. People have to realize that the commitment for an NHL contract is close to $500k. I don’t think Beck has earned it and I doubt an NHL club will reward him. No disrespect meant to Beck. I think he is the type of player that could come out next year and earn it on his own as a free agent but he needs to gain a lot of weight in the offseason, at least 20 pounds. He needs to be more durable.

I think with the right moves next year filling in the OA slots with veterans on the cheap, this 67’s team can and will finish middle of the pack after trading a couple guys through the deadline. The back end and goaltending will be solid. I doubt we give up 200 goals next season.

Ottawa doesn't have sufficient draft capital to make a strong run next season. I expect a retool in 2023-24 to re-stock the draft cupboards for a stronger run in 2024-25. As we had talked about, best case scenario, after a slight retool but filling any remaining holes in the lineup on the cheap, is finishing with a #3-6 seed in the eastern conference and getting into the 2nd round or, as a lower seed, pushing a higher seed to 6 or 7 games. Continue to accumulate that playoff experience...that should be the primary goal for 2023-24. Continue to develop Pinelli, Mews, Marrelli, Gardiner, Foster...the core of a 2024-25 run along with Mayich, Gerrior, Stonehouse and MacKenzie (OAs by then).

As an aside, it came out this morning that Marrelli was apparently playing with a fractured wrist for the last few games.

 

[OMG67]

Ottawa doesn't have sufficient draft capital to make a strong run next season. I expect a retool in 2023-24 to re-stock the draft cupboards for a stronger run in 2024-25. As we had talked about, best case scenario, after a slight retool but filling any remaining holes in the lineup on the cheap, is finishing with a #3-6 seed in the eastern conference and getting into the 2nd round or, as a lower seed, pushing a higher seed to 6 or 7 games. Continue to accumulate that playoff experience...that should be the primary goal for 2023-24. Continue to develop Pinelli, Mews, Marrelli, Gardiner, Foster...the core of a 2024-25 run along with Mayich, Gerrior, Stonehouse and MacKenzie (OAs by then).

As an aside, it came out this morning that Marrelli was apparently playing with a fractured wrist for the last few games.

Yes. He was a game time decision in game 5. Then he went out and had a crazy game. Maybe his best as a 67.

 

[Larionov]

So I will admit to always being a shameless optimist, but I look at this roster and I am much more bullish on next season than some of you are.

First off, it is insane how young we were for a first place team. Looking back on it, I still can't believe they pulled it off. When you look at both the number of players we will return for 2023-24 and the quality, it is really impressive. Heck, we don't even have any tough decisions to make on OA players, and may well be in a position to go one short on overagers to start the season.

Here's a few names that stick out for me as this team moves forward:

Collin MacKenzie - I think this kid will be the best goalie in the OHL next season. I think you give him the bulk of the games next season, and move Donoso to a goalie-needy club for some OA help in a more needed area.

Vinzenz Rohrer - this is a player who slightly underachieved this season, as others have pointed out, but there's no denying his talent. He's about to enter his D+2 season, and history shows that this is when offensive players really light it up in major junior. I expect him to be a dominant force offensively, topping the 100 point mark.

Mews and Marrelli - these two will both be first round picks in 2024. I think there's a chance that Mews goes top 10. Mews is exactly what the NHL is looking for out of defencemen these days - he sort of looks like Jake Sanderson's kid brother out there, in fact. If these players develop at the same pace they did this season (never a guarantee, I know) it will help this team exceed expectations yet again. Also, because they are defencemen, there's a fair chance that one or both of them are here right through their D+2 seasons.

Bottom line - I like our chances of winning our Division and being right back in the mix next season. The only slight downer is that we won't be in a position to make a huge splash at the deadline - we'll probably have to ride with what we have, but what we have should be very good...

 

[OMG67]

So I will admit to always being a shameless optimist, but I look at this roster and I am much more bullish on next season than some of you are.

First off, it is insane how young we were for a first place team. Looking back on it, I still can't believe they pulled it off. When you look at both the number of players we will return for 2023-24 and the quality, it is really impressive. Heck, we don't even have any tough decisions to make on OA players, and may well be in a position to go one short on overagers to start the season.

Here's a few names that stick out for me as this team moves forward:

Collin MacKenzie - I think this kid will be the best goalie in the OHL next season. I think you give him the bulk of the games next season, and move Donoso to a goalie-needy club for some OA help in a more needed area.

Vinzenz Rohrer - this is a player who slightly underachieved this season, as others have pointed out, but there's no denying his talent. He's about to enter his D+2 season, and history shows that this is when offensive players really light it up in major junior. I expect him to be a dominant force offensively, topping the 100 point mark.

Mews and Marrelli - these two will both be first round picks in 2024. I think there's a chance that Mews goes top 10. Mews is exactly what the NHL is looking for out of defencemen these days - he sort of looks like Jake Sanderson's kid brother out there, in fact. If these players develop at the same pace they did this season (never a guarantee, I know) it will help this team exceed expectations yet again. Also, because they are defencemen, there's a fair chance that one or both of them are here right through their D+2 seasons.

Bottom line - I like our chances of winning our Division and being right back in the mix next season. The only slight downer is that we won't be in a position to make a huge splash at the deadline - we'll probably have to ride with what we have, but what we have should be very good...

It all comes down to opportunity cost. While I agree with you regarding next season, even if we don’t restock our draft picks for the purpose of trading them, we cannot go into back to back drafts in 2025 and 2026 with no picks int he 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounds. We are going to need to trade some players at some point jsut to get back to square one.

Where the opportunity cost comes in play is the season we choose to do it. Which season do we need to sacrifice to get the picks back OR do we do it a little bit over 2 seasons? If we do it a little bit over two seasons, we sacrifice a push in for two seasons. If we sacrifice one season, we can then make a push another season.

So, strategically speaking, which is the best season to do it?

It is also not about what we have so much as what we don’t have. I think it is evident that we need three centres, a goalie, some scoring on the wings, a puck moving D-Man, size on the back end and experienced defence top to bottom if we want to be a serious player In the league.

We have the Goalie, scoring on the wings, a puck moving D-Man (although only 17 years old) and a strong mix on the D-Side. What we don’t have are the centres. On a competitive team, Rohrer is more effective from a scoring perspective on the wing. That pretty much leaves Gardiner as the only true centre. This is not dissimilar to this season except we had trade assets to make up for the missing pieces.

 

[ecraigs]

I’d like to expand a little on what you touched on.

1> Most of us knew they were going to have to condense the lines at some point. It took too long for Cameron to adapt. It’s unfortunate, but at least he did it going into last game.
2> Has Peterborough outplayed Ottawa? Yes! BUT! If not for the stellar play by Simpson making a handful of game savers, we could be looking at a different series result right now. As poorly as Ottawa has played, I would suggest Simpson has outplayed Donoso and if even one of those huge saves were goals, we’d have had games going into OT.

I know you assessed Cameron as a great coach, but I have to partially disagree. He was slow to adapt and really did very little to try to break up the passive fore-check that the Petes used. He also seemed to have a hard time preparing his team. In game 3 vs Oshawa, Ottawa got rattled and was totally unprepared for OT. In game 4 in Peterborough, the message should have been to take the play to the Petes and 67s generated 4 shots in the 1st.

I'm not a fan, but I do recognize that he got a lot out of this team over the year. I do like that he used the rookies a lot. Ewles, Mews, and Marrelli played well and provided offensive numbers that were sorely needed.

Simpson outplayed Donoso by a lot, but that should not have been as big a deal as it was.

Not having Boucher and a fully healthy Barlas had its impact as well. I was surprised that the coaches and GM didn't recognize that Boucher was not going to be available or perhaps they couldn't do anything about it.

As for next year, I will be there again, Lord willing and the river don't rise. I live on a river now, so this is an issue. We will probably have at least 2 new OA, a few rookies, and a new import.

 

[OMG67]

I know you assessed Cameron as a great coach, but I have to partially disagree. He was slow to adapt and really did very little to try to break up the passive fore-check that the Petes used. He also seemed to have a hard time preparing his team. In game 3 vs Oshawa, Ottawa got rattled and was totally unprepared for OT. In game 4 in Peterborough, the message should have been to take the play to the Petes and 67s generated 4 shots in the 1st.

I'm not a fan, but I do recognize that he got a lot out of this team over the year. I do like that he used the rookies a lot. Ewles, Mews, and Marrelli played well and provided offensive numbers that were sorely needed.

Simpson outplayed Donoso by a lot, but that should not have been as big a deal as it was.

Not having Boucher and a fully healthy Barlas had its impact as well. I was surprised that the coaches and GM didn't recognize that Boucher was not going to be available or perhaps they couldn't do anything about it.

As for next year, I will be there again, Lord willing and the river don't rise. I live on a river now, so this is an issue. We will probably have at least 2 new OA, a few rookies, and a new import.

I think the big thing is he developed the team to be in the position they were in but the players were not experienced or old enough to take advantage. As much as I would like to blame the coach for that, the reality is we dressed and used seven 16 and 17 year olds in the playoffs against Peterborough. That is the same number of 19 and 20 year olds used in the playoffs. I’m not sure many teams make it past the 2nd round with that ratio.

 

[BarberPole9]

For those that are curious about our draft pick situation going forward, teams are eligible to trade picks through the 2027 season (4 years). For rounds 2 through 4, the 67s have:

2024 - 2nd, ER 3rd, KIT 3rd
2025 - no picks
2026 - no picks
2027 - 2nd, 3rd, 4th

As you can see, they are light on available picks. Adding to next seasons roster is not realistic Without mortgaging the future and trading away young bodies. Taht is assuming they don’t manage to sign some NCAA commit players. That would be a bit of a game changer but not very likely.

Fantastic recap of the season OMG. I was also very impressed with the team and development of the 16- and 17-year-old core.

After having traded 19-year-old defencemen Teddy Sawyer and Ranvir Gill-Shane and forward Vsevolod Gaidamak along with 20-year-old NHL drafted Goalie Will Cranley, while making no impactful acquisitions, nobody in the league would have predicted that they would finish the regular season first place overall.

Don't forget that the draft pick cupboard also includes Flint's 2024 3rd and 5th round picks, which were the conditions on the Will Cranley trade according to OHL4Life.

I'll miss the hard work and leadership of Cam Tolnai and Anthony Costantini. They were ambassadors of the 67's brand who persevered through some tough times early in their careers to become leaders of a very young and inexperienced group.

We have been blessed to watch a consistently good team the past few years. Nothing they do next year will surprise me.

 

[beastintheeast]

Fantastic recap of the season OMG. I was also very impressed with the team and development of the 16- and 17-year-old core.

After having traded 19-year-old defencemen Teddy Sawyer and Ranvir Gill-Shane and forward Vsevolod Gaidamak along with 20-year-old NHL drafted Goalie Will Cranley, while making no impactful acquisitions, nobody in the league would have predicted that they would finish the regular season first place overall.

Don't forget that the draft pick cupboard also includes Flint's 2024 3rd and 5th round picks, which were the conditions on the Will Cranley trade according to OHL4Life.

I'll miss the hard work and leadership of Cam Tolnai and Anthony Costantini. They were ambassadors of the 67's brand who persevered through some tough times early in their careers to become leaders of a very young and inexperienced group.

We have been blessed to watch a consistently good team the past few years. Nothing they do next year will surprise me.

This is a team that is built to be competitive every year going forward.

To me the off season is easy.

Trade him NOW

Beck - we proved that while he is a help he is not necessary, as we did most of our good playing without him. Trade him before the season starts when he is healthy. Should be able to get back some draft picks

Trade him

Smyth - see Beck is not really needed with the number of D we have returning

Donoso - after camp and we are sure we have a backup for Mack

Sirman - later in the year as I think he will benefit a team going for it.

I would love to have traded Rohrer but the major problem I see with this team in the lack of centers. Besides him we only have Gardner

Everyone else on the team at this stage I would keep until we see what we have.
This is not going to be a team bent on winning anything other than a first-round in the playoffs. While I do not see a powerhouse in our division I really do not see any weak teams I think there is going to be more parity.

Depending on the Fronts coaching of course.

 

[dirty12]

This is not going to be a team bent on winning anything other than a first-round in the playoffs. While I do not see a powerhouse in our division I really do not see any weak teams I think there is going to be more parity.

The east and west divisions look weak compared to the mid-west next season, but at least one of Ottawa, Hamilton, and Kingston will be tempted by the opportunity to be a top 2 seed and add.

Depending on the Fronts coaching of course.

The Frontenacs really are in great shape going forward. I think the main priority will be two of McCarthy, import D, OA D.

 

[beastintheeast]

The east and west divisions look weak compared to the mid-west next season, but at least one of Ottawa, Hamilton, and Kingston will be tempted by the opportunity to be a top 2 seed and add.

The Frontenacs really are in great shape going forward. I think the main priority will be two of McCarthy, import D, OA D.

LOL Dirty but you still have the root of the problem on the bench.